{"id":60645,"date":"2026-07-29T04:58:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T04:58:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/60645\/"},"modified":"2026-07-29T04:58:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T04:58:19","slug":"victoria-decriminalising-drugs-proposal-slammed-as-dangerous-and-short-sighted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/60645\/","title":{"rendered":"Victoria decriminalising drugs proposal slammed as dangerous and short-sighted"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes an idea comes along that stops you in your tracks.<\/p>\n

This was one of those ideas.<\/p>\n

It was pitched last Thursday by a lobby group with significant influence in Victorian politics as a silver bullet to dramatically overhaul the way we look at and treat illicit drugs and those who use them.<\/p>\n

The details are here<\/a>, but put in the simplest terms, it suggested drug users should be free to carry and use illicit drugs without fear of prosecution. <\/p>\n

Everything from ice and heroin to cocaine, fentanyl and other synthetic opiods \u2014 drugs that can lull users into a zombie-like trance typically seen in some of the United States\u2019 worst-hit areas.<\/p>\n

There is some important context to include here.<\/p>\n

First, Victoria is in the grip of a drug crisis where record levels of consumption have resulted in decade-high overdose numbers, according to the Coroners Court of Victoria.<\/p>\n

Second, the idea comes from the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association \u2014 a group that puts the health of individuals using drugs above concerns about crime or impacts on broader society.<\/p>\n

Victoria is a progressive place. But an illicit drug free-for-all seems to be where most Victorians draw their moral line in the sand.<\/p>\n

When I wrote about VAADA\u2019s election statement \u2014 a pitch for more than $120 million of funding per year to, in part, descriminalise illicit drugs by 2030, the response was overwhelming<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On a Facebook post linking to the story, there was 2600 comments. On the story itself there were 309 more. But the unequivocal proof of public sentiment came from a poll of news.com.au readers.<\/p>\n

As of Monday afternoon, 8560 people had voted on a simple multiple choice question: Should Victoria decriminalise illicit drugs for personal use?<\/p>\n

The result was 91 per cent \u201cNo\u201d, 9 per cent \u201cYes\u201d.<\/p>\n

Below is a snapshot of some of that feedback.<\/p>\n

– \u201cEvery left policy these days is about pretending failure is a success.\u201d<\/p>\n

– \u201cThere is nothing \u2018therapeutic\u2019 about letting people destroy themselves, their families and their own communities like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

– \u201cDeciminalising drugs isn\u2019t the way to go, education is.\u201d<\/p>\n

– \u201cDecriminalising possession just encourages and normalises supply.\u201d<\/p>\n

– \u201cMelbourne becoming its own mini San Francisco, cute.\u201d<\/p>\n

– \u201cMelbourne will soon look like downtown Portland, Oregon. Interesting how they both have socialist \u2018progressive\u2019 governments. You get what you voted for.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Victorian Government, to its credit, was having none of the idea. In a statement to news.com.au, a spokesperson said there are currently \u201cno plans to decriminalise drug use or possession\u201d and that Labor is \u201cbacking evidence-based approaches that save lives\u201d.<\/p>\n

VAADA is doing its job, lobbying state and federal governments for policy changes and funding and shaping drug policies.<\/p>\n

And it has been hugely successful in doing that \u2014 VAADA played a major role in shaping Victoria\u2019s 10-year Alcohol and Other Drugs Strategy (2025-2035).<\/p>\n

But the pitch to decriminalise drugs has failed in almost every other major global city.<\/p>\n

Portland is a good example. It decriminalised drugs in 2021 and was later described as a \u201cdystopian nightmare\u201d that included 13 bodies found in a single location after a mass overdose.<\/p>\n

In January, 2024, the policy was scrapped completely, a state of emergency was declared and authorities were forced to admit to a monumental failure. <\/p>\n

The same story played out in Vancouver, the major seaport city in Canada\u2019s west, which decriminalised drugs in 2023 on a pilot program.<\/p>\n

In 2024, the impact was already being felt.<\/p>\n

Destination Vancouver CEO Royce Schwinn, speaking at a conference, shared comments from tourists to the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cStreet upon street of homeless people who were clearly under the influence,\u201d one person said.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally glad to leave this place and will not be going back,\u201d said another.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is living off its past reputation. Save your money,\u201d another said.<\/p>\n

In January this year, the program was dumped.<\/p>\n

Portugal\u2019s capital Lisbon was celebrated as a success story in decriminalising drugs, but that too has followed a similar path to Portland and Vancouver.<\/p>\n

\"Chilling<\/p>\n

Researchers from UNSW noted that drug use in Lisbon had become far more frequent in public and drug overdoses had doubled between 2019 and 2023.<\/p>\n

Speaking to 3AW\u2019s Tom Elliot last week, VAADA\u2019s CEO Chris Christoforou said the status quo had not worked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe criminalisation of drugs is a massive policy failure,\u201d he said, before suggesting drug users did not seek help because they were ashamed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have people that are punished for a health issue that clog up our courts, the work of police and because of the shame and stigma they\u2019re reluctant to seek help early and things end up in crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elliot slammed the proposal.<\/p>\n

\u201cSan Francisco, Vancouver, Portland all did that and it got seriously worse,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no-go areas with zombie-like people all day and they\u2019re winding back because the experience has been so awful.<\/p>\n

\u201cI spoke with the mayor of Portland who said \u2018Do not go down this path\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

It does not appear that Victoria will decriminalise illicit drugs any time soon. <\/p>\n

The feedback, at least to this author, suggests it would be a political grenade.<\/p>\n

VAADA knows that. But it doesn\u2019t care about politics.<\/p>\n

Its role is to reduce alcohol and drug harms. Mr Christoforou says drug users should be shepherded towards help, not the courts.<\/p>\n

Even if the fallout from doing that makes Victoria just that little bit less liveable for the rest of us.<\/p>\n

Read related topics:Melbourne<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sometimes an idea comes along that stops you in your tracks. This was one of those ideas. 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